Upson targets more Stadium MK success

21 December 2016

mkdons.com

Ed Upson is confident MK Dons can maintain their recent good form at Stadium MK over the Christmas period.

Upson & Co have won their last two home matches and they have two more opportunities to extend that run between now and the end of the calendar year when they take on the Addicks on Boxing Day and then Swindon Town the following Friday.

“We’re looking forward to the games over the Christmas break,” Upson told MK Dons PlayerHD after the weekend’s clash with Gillingham at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.

“It’s a chance for us to showcase ourselves at home. We feel like we’ve turned a corner at Stadium MK and we’re looking forward to be back playing in front of our fans again.”

The Dons go into the fixture on Boxing Day on the back of a first defeat in three games away at the Gills nine days ago.

Cody McDonald’s header 18 minutes from time proved to be the difference in the contest which saw the men from MK1 fail to make ground on the top-half of Sky Bet League One.

“It’s obviously a disappointing one because we feel like we had chances. Possibly a draw would have been a fair result but they’ve nicked it and that’s gutting.

“I felt like we did well in parts of the game. We moved the ball well and we also defended well at times. It’s just a really disappointing result for us but we’ll pick ourselves up and carry on.”

Things could have been different, though, had Dean Bowditch converted from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time.

The side’s top goalscorer stepped up confidently after a foul on Kieran Agard in the area but the 30-year-old was denied by the legs of Gills keeper Stuart Nelson from 12 yards out.

“Those are the sorts of things that happen in football. (The keeper) has made a great save because, to be fair to Dean, he struck it well down the middle – he hit it hard, it wasn’t soft.

“Dean’s chipped in with a lot of goals this season and we can’t blame him. He’s obviously disappointed but we’ll just have to move on.”

A total of 350 Dons supporters made the journey down to back the Dons on misty afternoon in Kent and Upson had a message for those fans for their superb backing just eight days before Christmas.

“It was a great turnout and we’re very thankful to them for coming down. We are really appreciative and it’s just disappointing we couldn’t get a result for them.”